Kaohsiung mayor Chen Chi-mai used a new book launch to recast his 2018 election loss as the low point that reshaped how he governs — a personal comeback story with a political message for Taiwan's ruling party.

• Chen lost the 2018 Kaohsiung mayoral race to Han Kuo-yu, a defeat so unexpected he believed his political career was over.
• He won the seat back in a by-election and now describes the job as one with no way back — govern like you have nothing to lose.
• The launch drew Taiwan's political top tier, including President Lai Ching-te, signalling how central Kaohsiung is to the party's story.
• Kaohsiung's pitch is now economic security, local supply chains, sovereign AI, and net-zero — the same themes governments worldwide are chasing.
• Chen frames his six years as a hard but worthwhile push to pull business investment into a city long seen as industrial and declining.

Outlook: Expect Kaohsiung's AI and clean-energy investment drive to stay a showcase for the ruling party heading into the next election cycle.